--- name: "Number::Phone::UK" section: "3pm" platform: "linux" package: "libnumber-phone-perl" version: "4.0006-1" release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)" platforms: ["linux"] url: "https://new.carta.tech/Number::Phone::UK" --- # Number::Phone::UK(3pm) UK-specific methods for Number::Phone ## NAME Number::Phone::UK - UK-specific methods for Number::Phone ## SYNOPSIS ``` use Number::Phone; $daves_phone = Number::Phone->new('+44 1234 567890'); ``` ## DATABASE Number::Phone::UK uses a large database, access via Number::Phone::UK::Data. This database lives in a file, and normally only the little bits of it that you access will ever get loaded into memory. This means, however, that creating Number::Phone::UK objects almost always involves disk access and so is slow compared to data for some other countries. There are two ways to avoid this slowness. First, if you don't need all the functionality you can use Number::Phone::Lib. Second, if you can accept slow startup - eg when your server starts - then you can call `"Number::Phone::UK::Data->slurp()"` from your code, which will pull the entire database into memory. This will take a few minutes, and on a 64-bit machine will consume of the order of 200MB of memory. The database uses Data::CompactReadonly. This may have some problems if you connect to it, `fork()`, and then try to access the database from multiple processes. We attempt to work around this by re-connecting to the database after forking. This is, of course, not a problem if you `slurp()` the database before forking. ## METHODS The following methods from Number::Phone are overridden: - new The constructor, you should never have to call this yourself. To create an object the canonical incantation is `"Number::Phone->new('+44 ...')"`. - data\_source Returns a string telling where and when the data that drives this class was last updated, looking something like: ``` "OFCOM at Wed Sep 30 10:37:39 2020 UTC" ``` The current value of this is also documented in Number::Phone::Data. - is\_valid The number is valid within the national numbering scheme. It may or may not yet be allocated, or it may be reserved. Any number which returns true for any of the following methods will also be valid. - is\_allocated The number has been allocated to a telco for use. It may or may not yet be in use or may be reserved. - is\_drama The number is intended for use in fiction. OFCOM has allocated numerous small ranges for this purpose. These numbers will not be allocated to real customers. See \ for the authoritative source. - is\_geographic The number refers to a geographic area. - is\_fixed\_line The number, when in use, can only refer to a fixed line. (we can't tell whether a number is a fixed line, but we can tell that some are \*not\*). - is\_mobile The number, when in use, can only refer to a mobile phone. - is\_pager The number, when in use, can only refer to a pager. - is\_tollfree Callers will not be charged for calls to this number under normal circumstances. - is\_specialrate The number, when in use, attracts special rates. For instance, national dialling at local rates, or premium rates for services. - is\_adult The number, when in use, goes to a service of an adult nature, such as porn. - is\_personal The number, when in use, goes to an individual person. - is\_corporate The number, when in use, goes to a business. - is\_ipphone The number, when in use, is terminated using VoIP. - is\_network\_service The number is some kind of network service such as a human operator, directory enquiries, emergency services etc - country\_code Returns 44. - regulator Returns informational text. - areacode Return the area code - if applicable - for the number. If not applicable, returns undef. - areaname Return the area name - if applicable - for the number, or undef. - location For geographic numbers, this returns the location of the exchange to which that number is assigned, if available. Otherwise returns undef. - subscriber Return the subscriber part of the number - operator Return the name of the telco operating this number, in an appropriate character set and with optional details such as their web site or phone number. - format Return a sanely formatted version of the number, complete with IDD code, eg for the UK number (0208) 771-2924 it would return +44 20 8771 2924. - intra\_country\_dial\_to Within the UK numbering plan you can \*always\* dial 0xxxx xxxxxx for intra-country calls. In most places the leading 0$areacode is optional but in some it is required (see eg \) and over time this will apply to more areas. - country If the number is\_international, return the two-letter ISO country code. NYI ## LIMITATIONS/BUGS/FEEDBACK The results are only as up-to-date as the data included from OFCOM's official documentation of number range allocations. No attempt is made to deal with number portability. Please report bugs at \, including, if possible, a test case. I welcome feedback from users. ## LICENCE You may use, modify and distribute this software under the same terms as perl itself. ## AUTHOR David Cantrell \ Copyright 2025